Live Bands, BBQ’s, Magic Acts, Bikes, Girls, really cold Beer and a good atmosphere … what more can you ask for?! Ok, maybe you could ask for a little more of all the above, but hey on the positive side, it was the first Bike Week and it served it’s purpose in putting Cambodia ‘On the Map’ as a viable Bikers Destination.

It was also a great way of making contacts with bikers across Asia, we’re sure that the event will grow and with a little more advance organisation, it will be attended by bikers from Thailand, Malaysia, maybe even a few 125cc owners may make the journey over from Vietnam (Still can’t get over the crazy maximum capacity limit for bikes over there!).

The organisers would like to thank again, the many people that supported the event. Acleda Bank, Angkor Beer, The Beach Club, Jack’s Shack, Killer Bee Bikes Hire, New World Hotel, Part Art, Sinville Tattoo and Sihanoukville Online, as well as the vendors who were present in stores and shops. Final thank you to Roy from Snooky’s Bistro ….. still the best BBQ in town!

Sadly we had a number of apologies from a few of the guys from Pattaya. In a drunken haze during their last visit here to Sihanoukville they promised they’d be back down here for the Bike Week. Unfortunately, sober and in the cold light of day, they remembered the run to Prachuap Khiri Khan Bike Event which was the same weekend! That’s alcohol for you!

Those that did attend though, including a few Khmer guys who made the run down from Phnom Penh, certainly had a good time, good music and cold beer can’t take you far wrong.

For me though, one of the best parts was being treated to table magic by Magikotto, he really is a sight to behold and left every table either in howls of amazed laughter or baffled silence, really good guy too.

So anyway, that’s the first one under our belt, when’s the next one? ………. just watch this space!

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Terry, Dale, Dave, Tom, Freddie, Gypsy and Mitch did the first Mad Dog MC Thailand ride into Cambodia over 5 days. We met at Jet South Pattaya at 0545H on Thursday, 22 January and took off in the dark at 0600H along with Pekka who rode with us to the border town of Had Lek and then rode straight home for a total of 720km. (Pekka couldn’t leave because of his visa status).

By around 0930H we hit the end of the main highway in Trat where the last 100km to Had Lek were on a two lane road that followed the coastline. Great scenery along the way and the road is in very good condition.

Once in Had Lek, we began the process of getting permission from Thai Customs to take our bikes over to Cambodia and clearing immigration. We encountered a problem with Dave’s bike which was still in Hot Rod Ed’s name. Even though we had a letter of permission from Ed, the original ownership book, and a copy of Ed’s house book and National ID Card, Customs would have none of it. We decided to find secure parking for Dave’s bike, and he jumped on the back of Dale’s bike for the run to Sinhanouk Ville. Good on ya, Brother!

We wasted a bit of time on the Thai side of the border because although we had the Customs papers completed, we only had one copy and were unaware that two copies were needed. As there was only one copy machine in the market area, we lost a half hour getting duplicates. All in, it took us one and a half hours to clear all the procedures on both sides of the border including obtaining a visa-on-arrival in Koh Kong on the Cambodian. Seems like on the Cambodian side, they don’t care what, if any, vehicle you bring in. There’s no paperwork other than the visa-on-arrival.

By 1230H, we were on the bikes and heading toward Sihanouk Ville on Route 48/Route 4, a ride of about 240km. The 48 goes through the Cardamom Mountains which is a great ride with great scenery along the way. It’s a two lane highway, and you have to watch for pot holes and cattle like a hawk. But it’s the kind of road where you really don’t want to race anyway because the views are so good. Another thing that made the ride enjoyable is the fact that we saw perhaps only a dozen cars for the first 160km. This may be in part because Cambodia follows the American system of driving on the right side of the road. As Thailand drives on the left side, many Thais opt to park their cars on the Thai side of the border and take a bus into Cambodia. After the mountain run, we picked up Route 4 at Srey Ambrel which took us straight in to Sihanouk Ville where we arrived at 1630H. The 4 is one of the major roads that connect Phnom Penh and Sihanouk Ville.

We were fortunate to get hotel rooms as it was Chinese New Year. Gypsy’s friend Kiwi Brian got us 2 double and 2 single rooms at The Small Green Guesthouse in the downtown area, and we were able to find it easily. Dale was able to get a room at the Golden Sands Hotel.

Sihanouk Ville is a small but booming tourist town with loads of good beach areas, hotels, restaurants and bars. While the night life can’t hold a candle to Pattaya, it is adequate. The city is very easy to get around as well. Surprisingly, the US$ is the preferred currency, and it’s a good idea to bring several $1’s, $5’s and $10’s along. Another pleasant surprise is that English is widely spoken by the Cambodians we encountered so communication is easy.

After dinner that night, we decided that Friday would be a beach day. We all met for breakfast and took a circuitous route to Serendipity Beach where the order of the day was sun, massages, food, sea and beer. That night we ended up at the Lone Brothers MC Club House and had a good night there along with several of Jesters MC Members who were in town as well.

The original plan was to spend two nights in Sihanouk Ville then ride up to Phnom Penh for two nights, but we completely struck out for rooms because of Chinese New Year. We decided to stay a third night in Sihanouk Ville then a fourth night in Koh Kong on the way home.
On Saturday we met up for breakfast and left at 1000H on a coastal ride towards the Viet Nam border through the Cambodian towns of Kampot and Kep. We ended up in Kep for a great lunch at the Crab Market which is very close to one of the Cambodia/Vietnam border crossings. Then it was back to Sihanouk Ville. Out and back was around 300km and a worthwhile day in the saddle.

We had dinner that night at the Reef Resort with an old friend Tim who owns it and he introduced us to Roy, a seasoned American character with a ZZ Top beard. Both Tim and Roy are bikers and jumped at our offer that they join us for the ride to Koh Kong the next morning. Reef Resort is a great place with large rooms, a big pool with a bar and a good Mexican restaurant at Serendipity Beach.

We met for breakfast at our hotel and headed out of Sihanouk Ville at 1000H, taking the same route back to Koh Kong that we came in on. We were there easily in less than four hours.
We were all able to get rooms at the Asean Hotel which has great rooms for $15 or $20 a night. It was our first time to stay in Koh Kong, so Tim and Roy took us around to the expat restaurants and bars (The Dug Out and Bob’s) as well as to some other “interesting” places.

Next morning we were heading out of Koh Kong to the border crossing at 0900H. Paperwork on the way out is a snap. Clocked out of Cambodia then showed Thai Customs a copy of the form we filled to take the bikes out of Thailand as well as a Customs document Thai Customs gave us on the way out. All in, we finished up in less than 30 minutes including retrieving Dave’s bike from the safe parking area.

Our first gas stop that day was in Trat were we met up with Mad Dogs Bill and Allan who rode down to greet us. From there, it was a quick 260km ride back to Sally Bar in Pattaya for pizzas and beer.

It was a really laid back ride, covering only 1500km in all, with plenty of time to chill, hang out together and take in the new scenery. We made a lot of good contacts along the way and look forward to a repeat ride later this year.

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Sihanoukville has a different look and feel than most Cambodian towns. Constructed as a port city in the late 1950s, the town is much newer, more urban and cosmopolitan than most Cambodian provincial cities.

Nowadays, Sihanoukville is as much a beach town as it is a port town, catering to beach-going weekenders from Phnom Penh as well as a steadily increasing number of foreign visitors. Still, the pace of life in Sihanoukville is very relaxed.

Cows occasionally wander the main road, outside town foreign faces draw smiles and curious stares, and most of the beaches offer only beach umbrellas, thatched roofed eateries, and a growing number of restaurants, bungalows and hotels.

Sihanoukville has a more than ample supply of accommodations, including a 5-star resort complex on Sokha Beach, several mid-range places downtown and at the beaches, a few ‘upscale’ three-star hotels, and dozens of budget guesthouses, especially on Weather Station Hill (Victory Hill).

Considering the moderate number of visitors to Sihanoukville, the town offers a surprising number and variety of restaurants and bars.

Fresh seafood, especially crab, prawns and ocean fish, has always been one of the town’s biggest draws, but there is also a wide variety of places offering foreign cuisines - Australian, French, Indian, German, Sri Lankan, British, Italian, pizza places, a couple of western bakeries and even a espresso coffee shop.

And these days Sihanoukville offers a pretty good night life as well with a wide variety of bars staying open well into the wee hours, especially on Weather Station Hill, in the downtown area, and the beach bars on Ochheuteal, ‘Serendipity’ and Victory Beaches.

ORIENTATION
Sihanoukville is not a small place, and the best way to get around is to hire a motorbike. Sihanoukville itself is east of the main backpackers’ beach and close to the more mid-range Ochatial Beach. Due south of town is tiny Ko Pos Beach, which ha a solitary mid-range hotel, and the larger Independence Beach, which has the crumbling Independence Hotel - slated for redevelopment.

INFORMATION
Cambodian’s only deep-sea port is located here and considerable international aid has been spent to improve the infrastructure in the province. Although tourism has increased over the past few years, the beaches of Sihanoukville are some of the most unspoiled in all of Southeast Asia. It is a prefect tropical getaway, filled with lovely beaches and facilities for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving or just sunbathing. Boat trips are also available to many of the nearby islands. There are several hotels and local restaurants serving fresh, delicious seafood on the beach. On the weekend, there are many local visitors from Phnom Penh to relax, swimming and enjoy fresh seafood. ]]> http://hostworks-uk.net/~cambodia/2009-event/snooky-info/feed/ http://hostworks-uk.net/~cambodia/trip-reports/pattaya-to-snooky-by-harley/ http://hostworks-uk.net/~cambodia/trip-reports/pattaya-to-snooky-by-harley/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:58:36 +0000 admin http://hostworks-uk.net/~cambodia/?p=62 This was originally written by a friend on a Pattaya forum folks (Martin Smith, owner of the Ace Cafe in Jomtien) so please forgive and gloss over some abbreviations you may not understand.

After a few months of false starts I finally got around to doing the road trip down to Sihanoukville on the Harley, with some pals from HOG (Harley Owners Group) Thailand…… 5 bikes in all so good ‘n’ noisy! We left the Ace Café at 7am and headed off cross country down to Rayong, then on to Highway 3 and down to Klaeng, by-passed Chantaburi, on to Trat and then down the 318 to Khlong Yai and the border. This leg took 5 hours mainly because the guys I was riding with used petrol stops as an excuse for half hour food/coffee/cigarette/chat breaks and we could’ve shaved an hour off the Thai-side journey but what the hell, we were on holiday!

The process of getting the bikes across the border couldn’t have been simpler, and the Thai officials were extremely helpful. All you need, at this time of writing, is your Thai vehicle registration book. People will tell you the book has to be in your name but not so….. if your vehicle is registered in another name, all you need is a letter from that person giving you permission to take the vehicle over the border.

If doing this then use a bit of grey matter and get copies of that persons ID card and get the letter, in Thai, to state their name, your name (in English so they can compare it with your passport), the vehicle registration number etc etc. If your registration book is in your name then you have no worries and do not have to show any license or insurance documents at all.

At the border go to window No.5 round the back of the right hand side booth and collect forms TM 2 (2 copies) and TM 4 (4 copies) and fill out the basic details, engine and frame number etc plus your passport details. The people at this booth were very helpful and filled other parts of the form in for us, the whole process costing the princely sum of 10 baht! In fact the lil darling who helped me was so helpful (and cute!) and was missing lunch I told her to keep the change from my 100 baht note and buy herself lunch on me….. the rest of the guys promptly did the same so we had a very smooth hassle free vehicle transfer from Thailand to Cambodia and she had a good day at work!

After sorting the bikes we went through passport control, totally by-passed Customs (more of that later!) and rode through no-mans-land to Cambodian Immigration. Again very smooth, no hassles, stamp stamp “1200 baht please” and we were on our way!

Now the route could not be simpler: remembering to drive on the wrong (Seppo ie. right) side of the road just keep straight on! You’ll go through Koh Khong and the first thing you’ll see is a very misleading sign telling you to turn right onto Highway 4 for Sihanoukville and left for Phnom Penh…… what it does not say is Highway 4 and said turns are about 170 kms further on down the road!! Just keep straight on!

The road, which by Khmer standards is very good (being a highway) is actually a single lane carriageway of unsealed tarmac so be careful…… there are some very deep potholes, the only saving grace being the road was laid on bright red dirt so you can see the potholes from a distance and avoid ‘em! We rode at about 110 kmph….. I dare say if you’re in a big landcruiser you can get a fair lick up but we were taking it cautious and easy.

So, 170 or so kms down the way you’ll come to a fork in the road (landmark: there’s a school on the right hand side)…. take the right fork and after 100 meters or so you’ll hit Highway 4 and be on your way to Sihanoukville. Again this road is single carriageway but there are two differences: the good one is the tarmac is sealed and so much easier on your tyres and the bad one is this is the main container truck route from the capital city to the main deep harbour port…….. overtaking is fun!

Anyway, we’re getting to the end of the journey here…… the total journey from the border to Sihanoukville is just about 260kms…. as you get into town keep an eye open for the left hand turning (Soviet Street) with two petrol stations with huge concrete forecourt aprons (you really can’t miss ‘em!) either side of the turning……. drive down there and you’ll come to the main drag called Ekareach Street….. turn left for downtown (Freedom bar, Kangaroo Kitchen Guesthouse & Bar) and the Golden Lion area (many guesthouses, bars, Serendipity and Ochheuteal Beaches etc) or right for Victory Hill, Victory and Hawaii Beaches.

The photos below show various stretches of the first part of the Cambodian leg: the run from the border to Highway 4 plus some local scenery and the new bridges. The photo with the signs on a gantry over the road is where the road forks and you take the right fork for Sihanoukville.

So, Harleys pulling up and half a dozen leather clad hairy arsed bikers falling off! Yes we were tired after a long day in the saddle, but the sight of those glasses of Anchor Draught are a very appealing sight!

We had already booked in to a couple of hotels…… my pillion passenger and myself were in the Kangaroo Kitchen, only a 2 minute walk from the Freedom Bar…. sweet, I’m thinking!

Ok, after check in and SSS we’re back at the Freedom and my memory is a complete blank from there on in! All I know is we certainly painted the town and had a brilliant laugh with a huge amount of people. However, I wake up in my own hotel bedroom at sparrow fart the next day, so we’ve obviously got home ok!

Sunday was a hungover blur with not an awful lot to report, but on the Monday we jumped on the Harley and headed off to the quietest beach, Otres, and spent a great few hours relaxing, eating (I enjoyed a huge plate of chicken and cashew nuts at 4$US/140 baht. The road to Otres beach is off the Golden Lions roundabout…… very easy to get to but a pig of a road…… red dirt and stone track, 1st gear on the Harley all the way, which is why almost all the ex-pats ride Honda AX1 250cc dirt bikes!

The beach itself was full of elderly Scandi or German couples and a few young Euro chicks sunning themselves, but beautifully quiet with no blaring music, no jet skis and very few hawkers…. bliss!

On the way back I popped into a 2nd hand bookshop, went to the “B” section and absolutely immediately found a 1988 James Lee Burke novel I’ve been searching Thailand high and low for 7 bloody years for……. Tell you what folks, this Snooky trip was turning into a blinder!!

Anyway, back to the hotel,  and then out for a night with Tony…… we left his girl playing pool at the Freedom and buggered off to see a few more of the sights around town.

That night, while we were “out ‘n’ about, we popped down to Pacinos to meet new BM Elvin and his lovely missus…… Elvin will be over in Pattaya soon and I tell ya guys, he lives life in the fast lane, so Darksiders….. get ready!

Then it was back to the Freedom to pick up Tony’s girl and head down to a beach disco…. we hit the Dolphin on buggered if I know what beach and buggered if I care as I’m not into techno music and sweaty Euro’s playing bartender and thinking they’re way cooler than Woody behind the ramp on Cheers….. huh, these kids know nuthin!!

Still, the we all enjoyed ourselves and I was drinking ice cold piss on a hot beach in Cambodia at 4 in the morning……….

And on to our last night. We had planned on having a quiet one because, well, you know, 600 klicks hungover on a Harley in Cambodia where I don’t speak the lingo and have no driving license or insurance aint really that clever, is it? The other guys on the other 4 Harleys have buggered off 2 days previously so we have no back-up either. So we decided to have a quiet night in the Kangaroo Kitchen bar with owner Gary (another one from “God Zone”…. Western Australia!) and his delightful staff…………. and of course one thing leads to another.

I buy a round of drinks for the girls who proceed to drink Johnny Walker Blue Label, (will ya just look at the spirits selection he’s got!) his gorgeous cashier starts making eyes at me, Tony and his lovely missus Mom turn up in full drinking mood, my mate starts on the beer, changes to Vodka and then on to Bundy Rum, I’m doing very well thank you on Anchor Draught, Gary and I are exchanging bar souvenirs like nobody’s business and there’s a waitress with the most exquisite eyes with Khmer, Lao, Chinese and Vietnamese lineage making “I want you” communication with me and I’m fuckin’ pissed all over again! What a bloody final night!

Tony, thank you, you are a star and a bloody good pal. Elvin, cheers mate, see you soon. Gary, thanks for looking after us and having that cashier ….. I WILL BE BACK!

Bike Friendly Bar Restaurant or Hotel

Look out for the “Bike Friendly” logo on each page –>>>

We will be clearly identifying all the Bars, Restaurants and Hotels that offer a warm welcome, with easy access to Bikers.

Obviously some venues may still be very welcoming to Bikers, but just not have adequate provision for the security of Bikes, we will make every effort to give a clear and impartial opinion. Our number one aim is to give the best information to Bikers.

Bike Friendly Bar Restaurant or Hotel

Located a leisurely five minutes’ stroll to the seemingly endless sands of the beautiful Ochheuteal Beach, the Beach Club Resort Hotel is Sihanoukville’s premier boutique, mid-range hotel.

All rooms are tastefully furnished and well equipped with modern amenities and services ranging from air conditioning, hot water, cable TV, WiFi internet, refrigerator, mini bar and room service from our restaurant’s extensive menu.

Whether it’s enjoying a massage from one of our professionally trained masseuses, soaking in the sun by the pool or sipping cocktails and fine wines at the poolside bar, you’ll find the Beach Club Resort Hotel a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Visit http://www.beachclubcambodia.com

Whether you are heading down from Bangkok, Pattaya or from within Cambodian itself, you’ll find the journey safe, comfortable and very rewarding. The Cambodian countryside, particularly on the run from Koh Kong is beautiful and since the opening of the four new bridges, hassle-free!

During Bike Week there will be everything you expect from an organised Bike Meet; competitions, prizes, shows, stalls and beer!

The venue for this year is the Pocoloco Nightclub and Bar, this will be the focal point for all events including the Live Band and International DJ performances.

Sihanoukville, for those who haven’t made the trip down here before, has plenty of ‘Bike Friendly’ Hotels and Guesthouses.

Contact us if you have any questions.

Bike Friendly Bar Restaurant or Hotel

The Pocoloco is one of the main nightlife venues in Sihanoukville. Situated on the main road, near the Golden Lion Roundabout, it’s impossible to miss.

There is something for everyone at the Pocoloco, two bars offering a wide selection of drinks, Free WiFi, Big Screen TV, a western style nightclub, great food and friendly girls, what more could you ask for?!

Pocoloco is also the perfect venue for live bands, with a great atmosphere, the raised stage area and plenty of comfortable seating in the VIP areas and around the club. Add good food and drink at reasonable prices served by friendly waitresses and you are guaranteed a great night.

Visit http://www.pocoloco-sihanoukville.com

See the map below.